Already raging war on the motor racing circuits and the showrooms with a ‘race on Sunday, sell on Monday’ acumen, the bowtie group were not about to let their fiercest rivals get the upper hand, hence the first generation Camaro. Indeed, when asked by the media on the launch of the 1967 model what ‘Camaro’ actually meant, Chevrolet executives simply said ‘small, vicious animals that eat Mustangs’. The warning shots had emphatically been fired.
At first they didn’t hit, the Mustang – already with a few years headstart on the opposition – led the way in terms of sales. And in all honesty, across close to half a century, this has seldom changed. The 1968 Camaro though – like the one you see here currently residing at Living Classics in Dubai’s Al Quoz area – did come with some pretty impressive aces up its sleeves.
There was of course the now traditional pony straight-six under the bonnet, proving grunty enough to keep young buyers interested and wide-eyed, plus a lower stance and an injection of power.
Arguably though the looks of the Camaro led the charge, its lines very sleek and graceful yet aggressive enough to hint at the car’s potential straight-line performance. Added to that was the new range of optional V8 powerplants (mostly from the Chevy spare parts bin) that could be fitted into the engine bay, and word started to spread. Now on a roll, the Camaro began its drive to catch up.
It’s rare though for most niches to withstand the test of time. By the late 1970s, pony cars had developed into much larger, more ‘practical’ creations, and thus more expensive. Even the Mustang and the Camaro bent to public will. Little by little the compact nature disappeared, and the pony grew into a stallion.
– Our thanks to Living Classics UAE
